Refrigeration costs are a significant expense for supermarkets, representing about 60% of their electricity costs. The WR EcoBlade™ significantly reduces the energy consumption, and therefore operating costs of multi-deck refrigerated cabinets. It is designed as a simple retrofit device to attach discreetly onto the shelves of the refrigerated cabinets. Trials also demonstrated that each store could be fitted overnight, with no requirement for de-stocking of shelves. The WR EcoBlade™ controls the flow of the cabinet air curtain using parallel ‘blades’, which retain the cold air within the cabinet. Reducing the amount of cold air that spills out into the supermarket aisles has a dual impact: improving energy efficiency and reducing “cold aisle syndrome”, thus delivering an improved shopping environment for customers.

After rigorous testing – CFD analysis, EN testing and extensive in-store trialling – the WR EcoBlade™ demonstrated direct energy savings in excess of 20% when fitted to a M&S ‘Brooklands’ cabinet. Testing on other cabinets has demonstrated retrofit savings of up to 30%. The WR EcoBlade™ also qualifies for the ECA, allowing businesses to offset the whole cost of the equipment against taxable profits in the year of purchase.